Market Square of Cretu

Melissa Ronson wrote:In centuries past, in the days before Scar'd had unified the people of Scardia, this square was then known as the 'Diamond Market' or in a darker turn, 'Slaver's Square'. In the present however, as slavery has been abolished in Scardia since Scar'd rose to power, its become a flourishing marketplace in the centre of Cretu. Various shops are open to the public, as well as a bank, and post office. In the square itself, various stalls are set up with tools, fabrics, and baking materials as things such as meat and skins are more common around the Harbor Market.

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[from here]

Though Melissa had been in higher spirits now that she was relieved of duty, the Brazen Siren still felt as though that it was only due to Lady Mary's own personal motives. The Pirate Queen's been acting that way for a while now; doing things without speaking with Anne and herself first, and hiring new hands without the rest of the crew's consent. To Melissa, if felt as though a wedge had been firmly hammered in place of where there had once been camaraderie and trust. She wondered if she should in fact, send that letter...  

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:In centuries past, in the days before Scar'd had unified the people of Scardia, this square was then known as the 'Diamond Market' or in a darker turn, 'Slaver's Square'. In the present however, as slavery has been abolished in Scardia since Scar'd rose to power, its become a flourishing marketplace in the centre of Cretu. Various shops are open to the public, as well as a bank, and post office. In the square itself, various stalls are set up with tools, fabrics, and baking materials as things such as meat and skins are more common around the Harbor Market.

_____________

[from here]

Though Melissa had been in higher spirits now that she was relieved of duty, the Brazen Siren still felt as though that it was only due to Lady Mary's own personal motives. The Pirate Queen's been acting that way for a while now; doing things without speaking with Anne and herself first, and hiring new hands without the rest of the crew's consent. To Melissa, if felt as though a wedge had been firmly hammered in place of where there had once been camaraderie and trust. She wondered if she should in fact, send that letter...  

As melissa contemplated her decisions to defect vs remaining loyal, she would hear a whisper on the wind, a faint voice calling her name.

"Melisssssssssa....." it said. It came from seemingly everywhere, and yet nowhere.

Melissa Ronson wrote:The Brazen Siren was looking at the letter she had pulled from her inner coat pocket, the letter she was debating to send to that Domescan Pirate under Abdel Adham's thumb (then again she could send it to the Scardian Navy as well), when she hears a voice... an eerie voice calling her name! She glances over her shoulder, big blue eyes blinking. The voice sounded close, but it was odd for it was as if it were a whisper... and she was in the middle of a giant crowd! It was a ruckus you'd expect from a thriving city in the Scardian Kingdom. It made the hair on the back her neck stand, and so the pirate decided to walk the feeling off, chalking it up to being the wind.

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:The Brazen Siren was looking at the letter she had pulled from her inner coat pocket, the letter she was debating to send to that Domescan Pirate under Abdel Adham's thumb (then again she could send it to the Scardian Navy as well), when she hears a voice... an eerie voice calling her name! She glances over her shoulder, big blue eyes blinking. The voice sounded close, but it was odd for it was as if it were a whisper... and she was in the middle of a giant crowd! It was a ruckus you'd expect from a thriving city in the Scardian Kingdom. It made the hair on the back her neck stand, and so the pirate decided to walk the feeling off, chalking it up to being the wind.

"Melisssssssa...." the voice repeated in her mind, a little clearer, a little louder.

Then, with a clear direction - a dark alley - the voice beckoned. "Over here...."

Melissa Ronson wrote:She stopped in her tracks again. She looked around, and felt the voice came from the direction of a suspicious looking alley. This isn't funny anymore... someone's about to get hurt. She thought, furrowing her thick brows. She slowly walked over to the alley, and of course no one was using it as a short cut. All the better for her, as she kept one hand on the naked harpy grip of her cutlass, while her free hand slipped under her coat, gripping the old, yet powerful, Royal Scardian Flintlock Pistol. She took a few steps into the alley, her gleaming blue eyes dancing left and right for signs of movement. "Well, you got my attention. How about you come out, and face me like a proper Scardian!" She harshly whispered, half drawing her blade in a reverse grip.

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:She stopped in her tracks again. She looked around, and felt the voice came from the direction of a suspicious looking alley. This isn't funny anymore... someone's about to get hurt. She thought, furrowing her thick brows. She slowly walked over to the alley, and of course no one was using it as a short cut. All the better for her, as she kept one hand on the naked harpy grip of her cutlass, while her free hand slipped under her coat, gripping the old, yet powerful, Royal Scardian Flintlock Pistol. She took a few steps into the alley, her gleaming blue eyes dancing left and right for signs of movement. "Well, you got my attention. How about you come out, and face me like a proper Scardian!" She harshly whispered, half drawing her blade in a reverse grip.

"Over here..... Over here.... Over here..." the voice beckoned her further into the darkening alley's twists and sharp corners, like a winding snake. The entire structure seemed to grow in a cool mist, and the sunlight overhead was blocked by overhanging balconies, tarps and drapes overhead. Gaudy store lights were the only visible light sources, black market merchants of the foulest kinds. Beady eyes of thieves, bandits and cutthroats to match any seaworthy pirate, and filthy as gutter trash besides.

"Turn around." the voice suddenly beckoned. and when Melissa would do so, she would find the alleys suddenly deserted. The echo of the voice seemingly coming from the open beaded drapes of what looked to be a curiosities store that sells fortune tellers baubles. A mysterious violet glow came from the doorway.

"Come...."

Melissa Ronson wrote:When the alley vanished and the shop which wasn't there before appeared, Mel felt butterflies in her stomach. "What magic is this...?" She whispered to herself, releasing the hold of her pistol, transferring the grip to that of her sword instead. She walked towards the curio tent, one you'd see in the desert markets of Domescadia usually. She cautiously enters the folds, following the voice now that she was invested. The smell of incense assaulted her as she pushes through the misty interior of the shop. She was certain that if this shop was real... she'd be through ten feet within the wall of another building's interior. Yet... it was real. She looked around, her right eye covered by her swaying raven black bangs. There was a window that looked into the mysterious shop. She could see odd things, devices she'd never seen before, and older more ancient things upon shelves lining the shop's walls. Books and other things could be seen through the window as well, as Mel opens the door, and enters the violet glow...

Melissa Ronson wrote:Melissa, out of fear of the unknown, had drew her blade when she heard the voice call for her, snapped out of her awe as she had took in the shop's sites. "Who said that?" She says, before her eyes caught the skull at the focal point of the room, her exposed eye becoming wide, almost pupil-less upon observing the violet glow which radiated from the skull's eyeless sockets; the glow illuminating Melissa's shocked face!

She lowered her arm, her left hand on her sword belt as she side stepped towards the crystal skull, her blade reaching out to lightly tap the skull. "What... in the seven hells..." she muttered, blinking again and again. She had to be dreaming... right? This was beyond her understanding, how did she end up in such a place?

Melissa Ronson wrote:Melissa stepped back, blade raised at the specter out of reflex, the chilling voice emanating throughout her body, rattling her very bones! She could only stare in silence at the glowing wisp, the purple Bubble they would speak of in tales around a bonfire in her village of Kilwood. The Bubble said things, spoke of her rising resentment she had kept hidden from the crew. "...we have sailed for many years, but in recent times she becomes more and more distant. She no longer speaks of affairs to me, one of her most trusted allies! She acts on her own..." she did not know what had compelled her to say that! She blinked, looking away from the creature, down at the floor, feeling as though it had bewitched her! Allowed her to reveal such secrets and festering resentment. She blinked again, her long lashes batting as she turned her head looking at the floor, using her other hand to hide the purple specter from her wandering, curious eyes! "What...what are you? How are you doing this? What's going on?" She asked, confused, her heart racing in her buoyant chest!

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:Melissa stepped back, blade raised at the specter out of reflex, the chilling voice emanating throughout her body, rattling her very bones! She could only stare in silence at the glowing wisp, the purple Bubble they would speak of in tales around a bonfire in her village of Kilwood. The Bubble said things, spoke of her rising resentment she had kept hidden from the crew. "...we have sailed for many years, but in recent times she becomes more and more distant. She no longer speaks of affairs to me, one of her most trusted allies! She acts on her own..." she did not know what had compelled her to say that! She blinked, looking away from the creature, down at the floor, feeling as though it had bewitched her! Allowed her to reveal such secrets and festering resentment. She blinked again, her long lashes batting as she turned her head looking at the floor, using her other hand to hide the purple specter from her wandering, curious eyes! "What...what are you? How are you doing this? What's going on?" She asked, confused, her heart racing in her buoyant chest!

"We can see your deepest desires, your innermost thoughts... your darkest fears." replied the Skull as it began to levitate from the table. The light it eminated altered from purple, to green, and a body began to form amidst a plume of lime green fire...



"You fear the same thing you have always feared... For your new family to leave you behind, to be.... abandoned."

Other voices whispered from the dark corners of the room, voices of her crew members, the navy she once served with, even her biological family. All cruel barbs taunts and jibes with voices of bitter dissapointment. "Useless! Worthless! Not worth having around... Why are you still here? Leave her! We have to let you go... I'm sorry. You are summarily discharged! Would have been better of hiring the cabin boy! leave you at port!"

Melissa Ronson wrote:Mel gripped her cutlass tightly, and continued to shield her eyes from the purple bubble, though she could see the purple light turn green through the cracks in her fingers. She didn’t see the creature turn into the skeletal being he had become, but the voices were confusing as they were ones she knew, but they were uttering things never spoken. She wasn’t discharged, she had left the military when her ship capsized! “Not so, these utterances are lies. I have never been approached in such a manner before…” She replied.

Melissa Ronson wrote:"...You're wrong!" Mel shouts, swinging her sword blindly, clenching her long eyelashes tightly! "I'm not inadequate! I... he liked Bonnie far better than I did him!" She grimaced, clenching her blade's grip painfully tight. Her words not making much sense. The mention of Anne becoming the first mate, a woman who had joined much later than Melissa but became the Silver Siren! She was bronze... the historic 'third place' so to speak. The weaker of the metals. The weakest...

"I'M NOT WEAK!" She screamed, swinging her sword furiously at the air, her hand no longer shielding her eyes which were wide open! Her blue orbs glowed green with the flames of envy as she grinds her teeth and swings her frustration out! "I was there longer! Are my abilities that much different than Anne's? The squib from feckin' North Scardia? My ancestors were proud warriors, I descend from greatness! Why must everything be a damn test or trial?!" She screamed, before turning to the skeleton. His uniform looked Domescan in style, and the envious green flames which surrounded him flared more violently. "She is my friend, my captain... my savior. Why would she toss me aside like that...?" She asked. "I'm a bloody senior officer! She puts me on guard duty while she goes into the city with the rest of our crew?!" She groaned.

Melissa Ronson wrote:Mel lowered her head, her long, dark peek-a-boo bang hanging as she bares her clenched teeth tightly! He or it was right... there were many things that were just right about what he said. "Officers are like that, most of 'em bloody feckin' nobles... Even so, Lady Mary is different among them. She has a better charisma, a way about her that makes her so...fascinatin'... but she's changed." She grips her fist tightly. "Its like we're not even the Three Sirens anymore! I feel like mud being scrapped off her boot, or worse... she gives me her dang sloppy seconds, and its only after Ms. Anne gets it before me! This damn peckin' order that makes no feckin' sense!" Melissa bellows, before turning to him. "I have power, but if I were to confront the Captain with how I feel, she'll at worse kick me from the crew, or at best, feed me to feckin' Mako!" She scowled, looking away.

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:Mel lowered her head, her long, dark peek-a-boo bang hanging as she bares her clenched teeth tightly! He or it was right... there were many things that were just right about what he said. "Officers are like that, most of 'em bloody feckin' nobles... Even so, Lady Mary is different among them. She has a better charisma, a way about her that makes her so...fascinatin'... but she's changed." She grips her fist tightly. "Its like we're not even the Three Sirens anymore! I feel like mud being scrapped off her boot, or worse... she gives me her dang sloppy seconds, and its only after Ms. Anne gets it before me! This damn peckin' order that makes no feckin' sense!" Melissa bellows, before turning to him. "I have power, but if I were to confront the Captain with how I feel, she'll at worse kick me from the crew, or at best, feed me to feckin' Mako!" She scowled, looking away.

"That is why you need more power. Power enough to confront Mary and the others if needs be - power of your very own. This, I can offer you. I am referring to the kind of power simple gil and treasures cannot purchase in a store. Money for loyalty and supplies only goes so far after all. You need to power to command fear in the very hearts of your prey and your enemies, the power to destroy them when you encounter them if needs be, or capture them if you so desire. And for that, what do you believe will grant you such power?"

Melissa Ronson wrote:To this, Melissa blinked, her anger abating. "What..?" She took a step back. "...you don't suggest I'd do something violent to the Captain do you? I don't want to kill her! I just... want her to see me as her equal again!" She replied, fear and doubt in her tone...

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:To this, Melissa blinked, her anger abating. "What..?" She took a step back. "...you don't suggest I'd do something violent to the Captain do you? I don't want to kill her! I just... want her to see me as her equal again!" She replied, fear and doubt in her tone...

The creature merely started laughing lightly. "I said confront her, not throttle her. Attain power to match hers, and then confront her as an equal. Any violence that occurs from that point would then be her decision, and hers alone. At that point, you would be justified in doing whatever you wish." the creature replied. the subtle hinting, the manipulation of events, leading inexorably to a confrontation that could only end in one of two ways, the Siren's reconciling, or violently self destructing.

Melissa Ronson wrote:Melissa had a puzzled, worried look on her face. "...what is it you have in mind then?" She asked, eyeing the spectral skeleton carefully.

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Melissa Ronson wrote:Melissa had a puzzled, worried look on her face. "...what is it you have in mind then?" She asked, eyeing the spectral skeleton carefully.

"As I asked before, what do pirates such as Mary and yourself consider to be real power? Is it wealth? No... Wealth can be accumulated by anyone who knows how. The ability to kill your enemies? No, nothing so crass. Otherwise any serial killer could be a king. No, power resides where people believe it to reside. Control perceptions of people, and you control their reality, and to do that, you need a way to project your will. Fear through force and projection of power. To do that, you need a way to act independently of the Sirens. You need your own ship, and a crew loyal to you."